Luis Diaz scored in stoppage time to help Bayern Munich bounce back from Wednesday’s Champions League loss to Arsenal with a 3-1 comeback home win over St Pauli on Saturday.
Suspended for the Arsenal defeat Bayern’s first in any competition this season. Diaz headed in a Harry Kane cross to put Bayern in front in the third minute of added time.
Nicolas Jackson then struck four minutes later to add gloss to the victory as Bayern avoided dropping points for just the second time this Bundesliga season.
Earlier, Diaz created Bayern’s equaliser for Raphael Guerreiro before half-time after Andreas Hountondji had given lowly Pauli a surprise lead six minutes in.
RB Leipzig’s goalless draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday means Bayern will finish the round eight points clear at the top of the table.
Veteran Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer credited his side’s “belief.”
“We kept going after we went behind and were unlucky to hit the post three times. The late goals were a relief,” Neuer said.
Arriving in Munich after a club-record eight straight Bundesliga defeats, Pauli took an early lead.
The visitors forced Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich into a midfield error, and Hountondji outmuscled Kim Min-jae to win the ball before finishing past Neuer at the near post.
Bayern youngsters Lennart Karl and Tom Bischof each hit the post before Diaz acrobatically created the leveller.
Redeeming himself for his early mistake, Kim chipped a long pass to Diaz in the box. The Colombian fell but still managed to squeeze the ball to Guerreiro, who fired in from close range.
Kane hit the woodwork with 10 minutes left but played a crucial role in Diaz’s late strike, lofting the ball goalwards for the former Liverpool forward to head home, before Chelsea loanee Jackson added a third with the final kick of the match.
Elsewhere, Heidenheim scored twice after the 90th minute to snatch a 2-1 away win at Union Berlin and climb off the foot of the table.
Germany starlet Said El Mala netted a stoppage-time equaliser for promoted Cologne in a 1-1 draw away at Werder Bremen.
Hoffenheim climbed to fourth place with a 3-0 home win over struggling Augsburg, who are winless since early October.
Later on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen host Borussia Dortmund and can draw level on points with second-placed RB Leipzig with a victory.
